Topic: Expectations in Thailand

[admin]

What expectations should a teacher have when they take a job in Thailand? What can they expect from management? If we want to know if a school sucks or is golden, we need something to compare it to. So, help me compile a list of expectations for teaching in Thailand.

[Uncle Che]

expect that you will not get your bonus when you finish your contract.

expect that no one will tell you when the students don't have class.

[hero]

Expected the unexpected I guess (cliche alert!)

Don't expect to be treated the same way as you are back home by employers.

Don't expect your employers to necessarily recognise qualifications/skills/experience, expect to have to prove you worth and even then don't necessarily expect to treated much better.

Expect to have to look around for a good job with a good employer, and don't expect that all employers will be the same!

Expect that employers will often expect the world from you, but offer little in return!

Don't expect to be able to take on face value what you learn from "old hands" - farang teachers in high positions who have often sold out to an unscrupulous Thai employers to feather their own nests and will do what it takes to stay in their comfortable position here.

Don't expect to find out everything there is to know from internet forums, you're gonna have to get amongst it and find things out for yourself. 

Don't expect any sympathy if you act unprofessionally 'cos you're miles away from home and then you get the boot with no pay!

Expect to have fun in many ways learning new things and meeting new people.  Expect to have to look out for yourself because nobody else will!

[MrQ]

More of an accept than an except.

Accept that if you keep your head down and down and don't fight the system that you will have an easy life. Fighting against it all the time will make your time here unpleasant.

Expect to have a bad head if you do fight against everything that you think is wrong.

Expect it to be different to a western school.

[willie mays]

Expect to do it the Thai way, its that simple.  You eventually become conditioned. If you fight the Thai system its like a salmon swimming up river to spawn and then die.

Sure you can make yourself known. But this is Thailand.

[Gonzo]

Expect it to be different to the west.
Don't expect your expert advice to be listened to, you don't know anything because Thailand is Thailand and they do things their way not the wests way and certainly not your way. Even if you know it's the wrong way, and there is reams of evidence to support you, it won't make a difference.
However, they are listening and your suggestions may appear about six months later with a Thai name under them.

[accurate reporting]

Accept the Thai way but don't accept medicority.  Change is slow in Thailand and in the short term it's not very noticeable.  However we do change things and the Thai admin do take things on board.  You have to gain respect and don't alienate the Thai admin.  Why fight the system when you can chane the system through negotiation.  By the very fact that they may put their name on 'our' idea six months later is an acceptence of 'our' idea.  I know some won't acknowledge us but most do, that's why the majority of schools/colleges don't have a regular turnover.
The only time a bonus became an issuefor me was when a native speaker DOS supported / drafted a new contract which affected the bonus.  Thai's pay up in the vast majority of cases.

[macaroni]

Don't expect you're there to actually teach anything.?
Nobody else does, and if is should somehow happen from time to time, it will come as a pleasant surprise.
You are window dressing.
Smile!? ?

Don't expect to be informed of any of the myriad things a normal employee in a normal situation "back home" would.?
And don't take it personally.?
You will be the last to know.?
Accept it.

You should expect your boss to take full credit for any good thing you did.? ??
(Of course this is true anywhere, but even moreso in LOS.)

[willie mays]

Don't expect you're there to actually teach anything.?
Nobody else does, and if is should somehow happen from time to time, it will come as a pleasant surprise.
You are window dressing.
Smile!? ?

Don't expect to be informed of any of the myriad things a normal employee in a normal situation "back home" would.?
And don't take it personally.?
You will be the last to know.?
Accept it.

You should expect your boss to take full credit for any good thing you did.? ??
(Of course this is true anywhere, but even moreso in LOS.)

No its not like that at all mate. 

Why dont you post specifics and not just generalizations.  Thanks.

[Dumbo]

Just learn how to smile and nod your head in agreement no matter what the problem is. As long as you smile, all problems can be overcome and it doesn't matter how much you suck as a teacher, you are successful if the students say you are jai dee.

[blackmail]

Don't expect to be able to take on face value what you learn from "old hands" - farang teachers in high positions who have often sold out to an unscrupulous Thai employers to feather their own nests and will do what it takes to stay in their comfortable position here.

This is highly accurate.  Many of the "senior" teachers got there by being backstabbing pricks.

[monkey woods]

Expect nothing. Then, anything is a bonus.